At7:40 AM on Thursday, Norwich, Smethport, Hamlin & Port Allegany Fire Depts. have been dispatched to a house fire at 11728 Rt. 46 in Norwich Township. Chief 12 reports smoke showing. Emporium dispatched for engine & tanker. Fire police to close Rt. 46 at Sackett Hollow Road & West Branch.
On July 5 at 10:08 pm Austin ambulance was dispatched to 2935 Rt. 155 for a victim of an automobile vs. Deer accident.
On July 5 at 7:20 pm. Salamanca and several mutual aide fire companies have been dispatched to 128 West Ave. for a fully involved structure fire.
Coudersport’s fourth annual Eliot Ness Fest will mix Roaring ‘20s fun, dozens of vintage cars and trucks, lively music and many other features spread out over three days (July 14-16).
One of the region’s biggest attractions, the festival recalls the famous American crimefighter who spent his final years in Coudersport. Attendees are encouraged to dress in period costumes. A schedule of events along with parking instructions and other timely information can be found on the website, eliotnessfest.com.
As in past years, the popular “Eliot Ness vs. Al Capone” scenario will be played out – this time with several new twists.
It begins with gangsters slipping into town on Friday and brazenly setting up vice operations, including a Speakeasy Beer Garden operated by Coudersport Rotary. At 6 pm, Capone and his cronies will hijack the main outdoor stage at Main and Second streets to announce that they have taken over the town.
But Eliot Ness and his “Untouchable” federal agents will have the last laugh, right after a Saturday afternoon parade that is going to be full of shenanigans and surprises.
Then, on Sunday, members of the Eliot Ness Fest Theatre Troupe will bring their schtick to a community picnic with games and music at the courthouse square.
Ness vs. Capone is just a small part of a festival that’s filled with variety.
Musical performers on the main stage in the center of town will include the Brass Machine Band (Friday, 7-10); Old Guys Rock Ensemble (Saturday, noon to 2), and the Buffalo Jazz & Swing Band (Saturday, 6-10). Dancers can shake a leg on a ground-level stage.
Vendors will line the square on Friday and Saturday. A “kids’ corner” will be set up across from the square on Third Street.
Free bus tours, complete with colorful anecdotes, will embark from the Potter County Historical Society Museum to several local sites that were connected to the Prohibition Era in Coudersport. They’re scheduled from 1 to 4 on Friday, 10 to 3 on Saturday and noon to 3 on Sunday.
As a tribute to a multi-faceted career that made Eliot Ness one of the world’s most famous law enforcement figures, this year’s festival theme is “Never Stop Fighting: Salute to Law Enforcement and First Responders.”
Local agencies will be joined by representatives from two of the agencies where Ness earned his claim to fame, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the City of Cleveland Police Department.
ATF will bring along its state-of-the-art response vehicles and other specialized crime detection tools. Cleveland Police Historical Society will arrive in vintage vehicles and set up its mobile museum.
Other law enforcement and public safety exhibits will be set up at a Law Tent. Organizers will share a portion of this year’s festival proceeds with local emergency response agencies.
On a related note, an awards ceremony will be held on the main stage at 11 am Saturday to honor law enforcement figures from yesterday and today.
Coudersport’s Eliot Ness Museum will be offering tours on all three days. Tickets are limited and available on the website, eliotnessmuseum.org. Any unsold tickets will be available at the door.
Also at the museum, a reception for descendants of the “Untouchables,” federal agents who served under Ness in gangland Chicago, will be held at 1 pm on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased online at eliotnessmuseum.org.
Portions of Main and Second streets will be blocked from traffic beginning at 5 pm Friday. More details can be found on the website, eliotnessfest.com, or the Eliot Ness Fest Facebook page.
At 4:35 PM on Wednesday, Ausin ambulance has been called to Costello Road for unresponsive.
Rudolph L. “Bud” Pearson, 100, passed away on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, with his family by his side.
He was born on December 29, 1922 in Kersey, PA, a son of the late Rudolph and Hannah Hedlund Pearson.
On April 19, 1952, at St. Boniface Church, he married the late Mary Wildfire Pearson, who preceded him in death on March 7, 2005. Together they shared nearly 53 years of marriage.
Born and raised in Kersey, Rudy enlisted in the Army in 1943, and served in the U.S. Army during WWII as an aircraft observer in the Southwest Pacific.
He then retired from Speer Carbon Company after more than 45 years of service. He was a member of the Dagus Mines Legion and the Fox Township Firemen’s Club.
Never turning down the chance to scratch a lottery ticket, Bud also greatly enjoyed playing cards, especially a good game of Cinch with his family. Though he was a man of few words, Bud will be remembered not only for his wit, but as a calm, kind, and gentle father and grandfather who cherished his family.
He is survived by 5 children; Dave (Margaret) Pearson of St. Marys, Cathy (Tom) Johnson of St. Marys, Mary Jo (Mark) Makufka of Reynoldsville, Doug (Carol) Pearson of Kersey, and Diane (Rodney) Shaffer of Brockport; by 12 grandchildren; Tim Pearson, William Pearson, David Pearson, Susan Coglio, Angie Gradizzi, Nicole Komenda, Travis Meredith, Mike Pearson, Dan Pearson, Nathan Shaffer, Aaron Shaffer, and Jacob Shaffer, as well as by 17 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents and his wife, he was preceded in death by a brother; John Pearson.
A Memorial Service for Rudolph L. Pearson will be held on Monday, July 10, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the Fox Township Firemen’s Club, 385 Main Street, Kersey, PA 15846.
Military Honors will be accorded by the Fox Township Burial Detail.
Burial will follow in the St. Boniface Cemetery.
Family and friends will be received at the Fox Township Firemen’s Club on Monday, July 10, 2023 from 10:00 AM until the time of the service.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Fox Township Burial Detail, the Fox Township Ambulance Association, or to a charity of choice.
Krise Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 339 Main Street, Kersey, PA 15846 is handling the arrangements and online condolences may be offered to the family at www.krisefuneralhome.com
At 4:07 PM on Wednesday, Coudersport ambulance has been called to Mapleview Lane for difficulty breathing.
Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) alerted motorists that a highway resurfacing project in Clinton County will start Monday, July 10. This project will improve the ride quality and extend the life of four sections of Interstate 80 between mile markers 190 and 193 near Loganton and Carroll in Greene Township, Clinton County.
The contractor will reduce traffic to a single lane and reduce the speed limit. PennDOT urges drivers to exercise caution, to be alert for construction vehicles making sudden stops, and not to follow construction vehicles into the closed lane as they deliver material.
Overall work on this project includes roadway paving and bridge approach slab repairs. Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc., of State College, PA, is the contractor on this $3.5 million project. PennDOT anticipates completion in late October, but all work is weather dependent.
July 5, 2023—The Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers is pleased to announce the 2023 scholarship recipients. The Community Foundation currently administers funds that specifically provide scholarships to students in Bradford, Potter, Sullivan and Tioga Counties Pennsylvania and Tioga County, New York.
Community Foundation Scholarships can be established by individual donors, corporations, and are often in honor or in memory of a loved one.
Montoursville, PA – Motorists in north central Pennsylvania are advised the Interstate 80 westbound rest area near mile maker 219 in Montour County is scheduled to close on Monday, July 10, 2023, for a water supply upgrade project.
The restrooms and parking areas will be closed during the project, which is expected to take approximately two weeks to complete. The Interstate 80 eastbound rest area will remain open during this time.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania State Police investigated 668 vehicle crashes resulting in three fatalities and 194 injuries during the five-day Independence Day travel period, which ran from June 30-July 4. Alcohol was a factor in 59 of the non-fatal crashes.
Troopers made 505 arrests for driving under the influence and issued 23,738 total traffic citations to include 845 individuals for not wearing seat belts and 210 tickets to people for failing to secure children in safety seats.
Table 1: Independence Day Weekend Crash Statistics
| Year | Total Crashes | Fatal Crashes | People Killed | People Injured | Alcohol-Related Crashes | Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes |
| 2023 (5 days) | 668 | 3 | 3 | 194 | 59 | 0 |
| 2022 (4 days) | 649 | 4 | 4 | 170 | 52 | 0 |
Table 2: Independence Day Weekend Enforcement Statistics
| Year | DUI Arrests | Speeding Citations | Child Seat Citations | Seat Belt Citations | Other Citations |
| 2023 (5 days) | 505 | 7,929 | 210 | 845 | 14,754 |
| 2022 (4 days) | 515 | 8,769 | 297 | 986 | 14,257 |
More information on 2023 Independence Day enforcement, broken down by troop, is available in the holiday recap document (PDF).
These statistics cover only those incidents investigated by the state police and do not include incidents to which other law enforcement agencies responded.
For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit psp.pa.gov.
At 3:00 PM on Wednesday, Bradford Township Fire & city ambulance have been dispatched to a 3 vehicle crash with injuries on South Avenue near the Oil Museum. The roadway is obstructed.
At 2:55 PM on Wednesday, Bradford Firefighters have been dispatched for a fire alarm at Evergreen Elm on Elm Street. Multiple alarms have been activated.
At 1:26 PM on Wednesday, Richburg Fire Dept. dispatched to a small field fire at 7160 County Road 8 in Wirt.
At 12:55 PM on Wednesday, Cuba Fire Dept. has been dispatched to 1265 Spring Valley Road for an odor of something burning.
OLEAN, N.Y., July 5, 2023 — Five recent area graduates received scholarship managed by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation for students pursuing a degree in business-related areas of study.
Drew Evens, Katrina DeChane, McKenzie Schuyler and Nathan Fowler received the Daniel McCarthy Scholarship.
The scholarship, given through the generosity of the Catherine M. Cridler Trust, honors Mr. McCarthy, one of Olean Business Institute’s founders. The scholarship is available to graduating and continuing college students pursuing a business degree.
Evens, from Port Allegany High School, and DeChane, of Ellicottville Central School, received $1,000 awards. Schuyler, a Franklinville Central School/Ten Broeck Academy graduate, and Fowler, of Hinsdale Central School, each received awards of $800.
Evens plans to study business finance at PennWest University Clarion. DeChane will attend Jamestown Business College to study accounting. Schuyler will study business at Jamestown Community College. Fowler plans to attend the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford to study business management.
Allegany-Limestone Central School’s Isabella Baldwin received the Two Joes Scholarship for $500.
This fund supports an annual scholarship in the name of community-minded businessmen Joe Sgro and Joe DeRose for a Cattaraugus County student interested in pursuing a degree in technology, marketing, communications, business or a related field.
Baldwin intends to study sports marketing management at the University of South Carolina.
Donations can be made to either of these funds at CRCF, 301 North Union St., Suite 203 or online at cattfoundation.org.
